Have your say on ATM fees

CASH machine users are being invited to have their say on the fee-charging ATMs that now make up at least 40% of the ATMs in Britain.

Industry bosses were put on notice a fortnight ago that they would need to start giving some explanations relating to the £140m that consumers were charged last year for withdrawing their own money from their accounts.

Citizens Advice is conducting a survey through their website allowing customers to have their say on the exorbitant charges imposed by fee-charging ATMs. Citizens Advice said that 23,000 of the 56,000 ATMs in Britain now imposed a charge.

David Martin, head of campaigns at Citizens Advice, said: 'Charges for using cash machines are excessive, unfair and on the increase. They hit people on low incomes and those living in deprived areas particularly hard, and this is made worse by recent bank and post office closures, and the move to pay all benefits into accounts.

'We think banks and cash machines should always display clear warnings about when charges will be imposed and how much these will be. The results of this survey will indicate how clear the warning signs on cash machines really are. We also want to make sure people know where they can find free machines locally, so local bureaux will be collecting information in their area and publicising the location of free machines.'

Link, the organisation that operates the UK's network of ATMs has continually rejected calls for clearer signage to be placed near cash machines, giving customers more notice of the penalties imposed, saying on-screen warnings about charges are adequate.